Raedwulf wrote: DaveRo - shan't. Because that means any / all of us have to look for ourselves. And then we might find different sources, etc... So why don't you just give us your source & save a good deal of hassle?

Well, it's been in all the papers over the last month or so. The president, Sergio Mattarella, declined to play along with the squabbling leaders of the main Italian political parties and to allow an election in the middle of a pandemic. In this he seems to have a approval of the increasingly pissed-off Italian public.

Sergio Mattarella, Italy’s president, who is imbued with extraordinary powers during a political crisis, made it clear on Tuesday night that he saw that — and not early elections — as the way out of Italy’s duress.

“I have the duty to emphasize that the long period of electoral campaigning, and the resulting reduction of government activity, would coincide with a crucial moment for Italy’s fate,” Mr. Mattarella said in a televised address. Referring to more than 200 billion euros, or about $241 billion, in pandemic relief funds that the European Union had allocated to Italy, he continued, “We cannot afford to miss this fundamental chance for our future.”

Italy Looks to Mario Draghi to Solve Crisis, to Delight of Pro-E.U. Politicians

It's not the first time the President has asked a 'technocrat' to form a government. That person still needs to appoint politians to run it - it's not givernment by decree.

Come to think of it, maybe the Italians can tell us how to deal with a Family that accumulates unearned wealth to the detriment of society.

BobL wrote: Just to remind some of you, we did try ditching the monarchy once, and could hardly wait to restore it.

The 'we' in that case was the aristocracy. Maybe if the Civil War hadn't happened we would have followed the French in 1789.